A local father of four shares his journey
of losing more than
200 pounds

Name: David Soward
Age: 50
Be Well Lynchburg Editor Shelley Basinger: Has maintaining a healthy weight always been a struggle for you?

David Soward: I’ve been kind of overweight my whole life. Growing up, I played football so I had some exercise. But as I got older, had kids, then ended up in a sit-down job at age 34, things started to get bad. I started to gain weight so fast—I felt like there was nothing I could do to stop it.

SB: When was your “wake up” moment?

DS: Well, one day I literally woke up and didn’t feel right. I went to the doctor and I was in AFib. (Editor’s note: AFib is short for atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure or other complications.) At the time, I was 41 years old and weighed 520 pounds. The doctor had a very frank conversation with me: “The track you are on right now, you aren’t going to live long. AFib is just the start. Even if you had a heart attack right now, we couldn’t even put you on the table to fix you.” That scared me, because at the time I had four young children.

SB: Did you jump into a diet and exercise routine right then?

DS: I started to lose weight on my own, going back and forth on starvation diets. I was about 460 pounds two years later. But I felt terrible—I could barely walk. My wife noticed that Jerry Falwell, Jr. and some other staff members at Liberty University had lost a bunch of weight. I know Jerry so I asked him what he had done. He told me, “I met Ben Crosswhite (owner of Crosswhite Fitness) and everything changed.” My wife said, “You better email that man (Ben) right now!” So I emailed Ben and told him I didn’t know what to do about my weight. He invited me into his gym to talk to one of their trainers, which ended up being Lauren Wooldridge (now Lauren Morris)..

SB: What was her approach?

DS: When I met Lauren, she didn’t judge me and from that day forward in 2013, my life was transformed. First, she changed my diet—I cut out dairy, grain and ate only whole foods. I was as sick as a dog as I detoxed. All I can say is that if it means your life to you, you do it. I had faith in what she was telling me.

SB: When did you add in exercise?

DS: After two weeks of my diet change, I came in for a training session—that was one of the hardest days of my life. I would almost pass out. She would say, “Stop, just walk back and forth until your heart rate comes back down.” This type of training went on for four or five months.

During that time, the weight was coming off so fast. In a year, I went from not being able to walk to doing a strenuous workout. I started going one day a week, then two days, and now I go three days. So far, I’ve lost a total of right at 200 pounds. I’m more physically fit today than I was in my late 20s.

SB: How did you feel walking into the gym for the first time?

DS: To say I was self-conscious was an understatement. But what I liked about Crosswhite Fitness—and what my current gym, New London Athletics, has become to me now—is no one judges you.

Everybody is on a journey of some kind. When I met Lauren, there was a certain amount of kindness she showed. Lauren smiled at me and said, “Don’t stress, there are so many people making the same journey that you are making.” During my first couple of weeks training with her, there were a couple of guys I met who told me that they were in my shoes just six months before. One of the things I’m enjoying now… is now I’m one of those guys, encouraging people and telling them, “I used to be right where you are. I feel your pain. Hang in there and you will make it.”

SB: What does your diet look like now?

DS: I don’t call it a diet, I call it a lifestyle. I started out not eating dairy or grains, but I do introduce a little bit of dairy now, from time to time. It’s more of a Whole 30 diet. I’m very careful to not eat preservatives and that still works for me. But it can’t be considered a diet. It has to be a lifestyle change.

SB: What does a typical day at the gym look like for you?

DS: I start out with a warm up such as 500 meters on a skier and 500 meters on rowing machine—very cardio-focused. Once that’s over, Lauren will put me on several super sets, meaning I will go through a super set of a chest press, then a TRX band squat, then a bench fly. The way she stacks my exercises are designed to focus on a set of muscles and keep your heart rate up. During that one hour, you are sweating and building muscle while burning calories.

SB: You mentioned your kids and wife earlier. What has this transformation done to improve life at home?

DS: I used to sit and watch my son play baseball or my kids would go on a hike and I couldn’t really do it. That tormented me. Now, I go hiking with them, we ride bikes. I don’t have to sit and watch.

It’s been life-changing. That’s the main reason I did this. I want to see my grandkids, I want to see my grandkids’ kids.

SB: Has your passion for exercise rubbed off on your family?

DS: When I started to lose the weight, my second oldest daughter and my wife started running and eating a similar, clean diet. Now they have done half marathons, 10Ks. It’s had an impact on my entire family in some way.

SB: Looking forward, what is your ultimate goal?

DS: I still want to lose about 80 more pounds, which would put me around 250. I’m 6 foot 4 and I’m not a small guy so that would be a good weight for me. So, I still have a ways to go. I had hip surgery in February 2017 and gained about 30 pounds during that recovery time. Those 30 pounds have been very difficult to drop but I’m working on it every day.

But putting all numbers on the scale aside, my ultimate goal is just to be well. And if I don’t feel well, I want to get back in the gym.

SB: What’s your final advice for anyone who is reading this who wants to change their life, too?

DS: The first step is the hardest. Once you have the first step behind you the journey gains momentum, it becomes easier. Also, you are going to fail on occasion. But you can’t give up. Just get up and take another step. It’s way too easy just to give up, but you have to remember why you started. The hardest battle you face is the one you have with yourself.

You’ve been thinking about it all day—the moment your head would hit the pillow and you could finally shut your eyes. But there you are, once again… and that five-letter word, SLEEP, is elusive and just out of reach.

Whether it’s falling asleep or staying asleep, you have plenty of company if the above scenario describes you on a regular basis. According to a new report from P&S Market Research, the sleeping aids market will be worth $101.9 billion by 2023—that forecast is attributed partly to the growing prevalence of insomnia and a surge in the demand for sleeping pills because of our stressful lifestyles.

But you don’t have to visit your medicine cabinet to get a better night’s sleep. Practicing better sleep hygiene can work wonders to improve your nightly snooze session. We sat down with Lisa Morrone, P.T., author of Sleep Well Again, to get some pointers.

Be Well Lynchburg Editor Shelley Basinger:

Lisa, you’ve really done your homework on sleep. What moved you to focus on this topic?

Lisa Morrone: When I started doing research for my book Get Healthy…for Heaven’s Sake, I included a chapter in it on the subject of sleep. As I researched, I found quotes from sleep researchers who said sleep is the most important predictor of longevity. It wasn’t obesity, as many people might think. It’s actually being sleep deprived. When I found that out, I said to myself, “I need to write a whole book on this.”

SB: Where do you think, as a society, we went wrong?

LM: Back before electricity we couldn’t be sleep deprived because the sun would set and our candles would burn down. Once we had electricity, our workdays started to spread. With cell phones and laptops, we started to pack more and more into our schedules. We feel like the more we can cram into a day, the more productive we are. We squeeze our hours of sleep from 7 or 8… down to 5 or 6.

And because many of us can get up after 5 or 6 hours and “function,” we think we’ve beaten the system. But we haven’t because our bodies were created to sleep one third of the time that we are alive in order to be well.

SB: If we aren’t getting that extra hour or two at night, what’s happening to our bodies?

LM: Sleep deprivation has some consequences which are obvious. Brain fog—you aren’t thinking clearly, you are more accident prone, you might fall down the stairs or even get into a car accident.

But there are some non-obvious consequences to chronic sleep deprivation. Our bodies need those 7 or 8 hours each night to repair, restore, and replenish everything from our nerves to our muscle cells to our hormones. So, if we take some of that reparative time away, we accelerate our aging, our organs can become diseased and we can even gain weight as a result.

SB: How is weight gain connected to sleep?

LM: Our brains produce two hormones, one hormone that tells our body when it’s hungry and another that tells our body when it’s satisfied. A full night of sleep will allow us to produce a balance of hormones that regulate hunger. But when you are sleep deprived, you make more of the “I’m hungry” hormone and less of the “I’m satisfied” hormone. So you are left with a chemical imbalance which expands your waistline.

SB: You mentioned longevity earlier. How much can chronic sleep deprivation shorten our lifespans?

LM: Most studies state lifespans are “statistically” decreased. Some have found lifespans can be diminished by a full four to seven years! Interestingly, studies have shown sleeping less than 7 hours a night on a regular basis decreases your longevity…. as does sleeping more than 8 hours on a regular basis. We have this sleep window, between 7 and 8 hours, which is perfect for our bodies.

SB: When we hear the word “hygiene,” we usually think about brushing our teeth and washing our face. How does that apply to sleep?
LM: Hygiene is defined as the practices and conditions that are conducive to maintain our health and prevent disease. So when we are talking about sleep hygiene, we are talking about the specific practices and conditions that can help us get a good night sleep.

SB: Where should we start?

LM: The first thing we need to do is we need to keep a consistent “to bed” time. Most people think they can have one bedtime during the workweek and another on the weekends. But because we have a biological clock which regulates our sleepiness, we need to keep our bedtime as consistent as possible. If you have to be up at 6 a.m. during the workweek, count back 7 or 8 hours and that’s your bedtime.

SB: What about our eating/drinking habits?

LM: To enhance sleepiness, you should not consume caffeine after about 4 p.m. The half-life in caffeine is about 6 hours. I also tell my patients not to drink alcohol after about 7 p.m. because the half-life of alcohol is 2 to 3 hours. People think alcohol is a sedative since it helps them wind down and fall asleep. But it has been proven to disrupt deep sleep and dream phases of sleep. That’s when you are getting the most restorative sleep.

SB: Seems like we need to really be focusing in on those final few hours of our day.

LM: Exactly, for example, you don’t want to exercise too late at night. When your body temperature is elevated and your metabolism is revved up, that’s going to disrupt your sleep cycles. Another thing we do, which works against a good night’s sleep, is work late at night. We sit in our beds with our laptops open, answering emails right up until lights out. An hour before bed, it’s best to shut your laptop down. Coming into those bedtime hours, you shouldn’t be reading work emails or engaging in stressful conversations with your family. Save all that for tomorrow.
SB: What can we do to make our homes and bedrooms more sleep-friendly?

LM: It all starts with lighting. As the sun starts to go down, our bodies are cued to naturally make melatonin. This is the hormone that makes us sleepy and sustains our sleep throughout the night. If your pre-bedtime environment is too brightly lit, you won’t produce enough melatonin. So, dim your house lights an hour or two before bedtime. Inside our bedrooms, we also need to look around and remove anything that makes the space less peaceful. If there are piles of laundry, move those to another room. We also need to remove stimulants—if your phone is a stimulant for you (this is especially important for teenagers), leave it in the kitchen and use an old-fashioned alarm clock instead. I also don’t believe there is any reason to have a TV in your bedroom—your bedroom should be for sleep and sleep only.

For a more in-depth read on the topic of sleep, pick up Lisa’s book, Sleep Well Again, and visit her at lisamorrone.com.

Too busy to hit the gym? Want to make changes in your diet but aren’t sure where to start? Searching for new ways to relax? Look no further than your fingertips.

Below, we’ve rounded up five of our favorite smartphone apps that can help you reach your health and wellness goals. All are available on Google Play and the Apple App Store.

Headspace

Limited version is free. Monthly subscriptions start at $7.99/month.

Meditation is more popular than ever, and no app makes it easier to practice mindfulness than Headspace. This app lets you pick a guided meditation based on your needs—focus, self-esteem and anxiety are just a few of the categories to choose from. For more personalized daily meditations, Headspace offers an upgraded membership.

Lifesum

Monthly subscriptions start at $3.33/month

Celebrity sponsors and fitness junkies alike agree that Lifesum is one of the best apps to track what you eat. The app allows you to pick one of three goals: weight loss, weight maintenance, or muscle gain. From there, Lifesum creates a personalized daily calorie, carb, fat and protein goal. Lifesum also has a barcode scanning feature that makes logging your meals easier than ever.

8Fit

Free for limited workouts. $60/year for the “pro” plan.

8Fit is the one stop shop of health and fitness apps. In the app, you’ll find guided high intensity interval workouts, customized meal plans and a community of users encouraging each other and sharing their progress. Whether your goal is to drop some pounds or to gain some muscle, 8Fit has the tools you need.

Sleep Cycle

Free. Premium subscription is $30/year.

Sleep Cycle determines what stage of sleep you are in by tracking your movement as you snooze. Using this technology, the app wakes you up in your lightest stage of sleep within 30 minutes of your designated alarm time. Sleep Cycle users boast increased sleep quality and feeling rested throughout the day.

Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout

Free

The 7 Minute Workout is perfect for those just dipping their toes into the fitness world. This app offers workouts you can do from the comfort of your own room—no equipment needed! The short, personalized workouts are great for a fitness newbie.

From mountaintop yoga to back porch gardening, here’s a look at how some of you are incorporating fitness and nutrition into your lives. Share your wellness moments with us on Instagram by using the hashtag #BeWellLynchburg!

Hannah went running after a long week and wrote: “I’m gonna be a bit biased here and say Lynchburg has the best trails to run on! They are so beautiful!” We agree with you, Hannah!

In May, Adam Hopkins enjoyed a “beautiful day for a hike up with friends to Sharp Top Mountain.” The view from the Bedford County apex made him say… #itsagoodlife.

Some serious girl power shown by Align Athletics in this photo with the caption: “What are you missing out on for fear of looking dumb or trying new things that look intimidating?”

Emily Paulsen and her husband are “testing out” their green thumbs with these back porch “cuties.” Her goal: #pleasedontdie. Best of luck to you, Emily!

Yoga teacher Shelby struck this pose on top of Cole Mountain in the George Washington National Forest. (Read more about that hike on page 15.) Follow her on Instagram at shelby.nc and see other cool moves in picturesque places.

Right now there’s a smooshed pile of navy blue velvety fabric lying next to me. It looks like any other blanket, but try to nudge it with your foot, and you’ll be in for a surprise when it doesn’t budge! Like other weighted blankets, this unassuming covering carries some serious impact—15 pounds to be exact. And, yes, my family has one because I jumped on the weighted blanket bandwagon. If you haven’t noticed, mainstream consumers are quickly buying up these heavy coverings in droves.

A quick read of current headlines reveals the most likely reason for such growing interest in these unique blankets: “A Lot of Americans Are More Anxious Than They Were Last Year” (TIME, May 2018) and “Americans Are Stressed Out, and It Is Getting Worse” (Psychology Today, November 2018). Plus, the American Psychological Association released the results of their annual stress survey in late 2018, finding that up to 90% of high school and college-aged students report that they experience stress symptoms in their regular lives. So, with promises of better sleep and reduced anxiety largely driving the weighted blanket trend, a holistic, natural stress reducer is an attractive option!

But do they really work, and if so, how? We broke it down for you so you can decide whether a weighted blanket is in your future.

Why the weight?

According to Annetta Stolvoort, an Occupational Therapy Assistant providing care at The Summit Health and Rehab in Wyndhurst, the weight in these blankets provides “constant, deep pressure” when you place one on top of your body. Having used one, I can say that the weight can be strange at first and somewhat restricts quick movements. But the reason for this pressure is that it “triggers the part of your nervous system that is responsible for rest and relaxation—the parasympathetic nervous system” to be exact, Stolvoort explains. Similar to the calm, warm feeling you may experience after a long hug with a loved one, weighted blankets cause your brain “to release the ‘feel good’ hormones of dopamine and serotonin,” Stolvoort says, “making you feel more attentive and restful.” Psychology Today says that weighted blankets provide the sensation of a “cocoon” and “reassuring” feelings; they essentially counteract over-stimulation with their firm and consistent pressure. The result is a stronger sense of wellbeing and peacefulness.

And the benefits are?

“The use of weighted blankets has helped the general population of both kids and adults with reducing stress,” Stolvoort says. Historically, they have been effective in helping kids with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder or anxiety-related issues because having this weighted pressure over the body can “help reduce instances of aggression through the calming effect it has on the brain and body.” Stolvoort currently uses the blankets with her elderly patients who have dementia because “the added pressure of a weighted blanket on their laps or around their shoulders provides sensory input through the muscles and joints to their brains that can have a calming effect.” She adds that if the blanket is also slightly heated it provides an “added sensory bonus.” Psychology Today says that weighted blankets could help those who suffer from insomnia though more studies are needed to support the currently anecdotal evidence. Psychology Today also reports that many studies support the benefits of touch or pressure in “lowering blood pressure, heart rate … and the stress hormone, cortisol.” Additionally, Psychology Today reports, “Touch strengthens our immune system [and] boosts blood circulation.”

Ready to try it?

The Strategist, an off-shoot of New York Magazine, recommends choosing a blanket that is 7 to 12 percent of your body weight. That means a 150-pound individual would look for a blanket that’s 15 pounds, which is one of the popular sizes. With all of the growing consumer interest, options abound. But like most purchases, quality does matter. Consider weighted blankets made with durable fabric or even removable covers for easy washing. The weighted filler should be evenly distributed, which is why most blankets have a grid-like appearance. Average costs, according to The Strategist, run from $65-$85, and most retailers carry a selection of sizes and colors.

Turmeric Relish—

Don’t even get us started on the amazing ways turmeric can improve your health. While many people are familiar with the powder form of this inflammation-fighting spice, Nisani Farms—a local farm that specializes in certified naturally grown ginger and turmeric—gets creative with this tasty relish. Available at the Forest Farmer’s Market—check Facebook to see a vendor schedule each week.

Microgreens—

These sprigs fresh from the SoulShine Farms greenhouse are small but mighty. According to studies, microgreens have a high antioxidant content, which means they can promote good overall health. Available seasonally (mid-April to October) at the Lynchburg Community Market.

Heritage Corn Flour—

It doesn’t get much fresher than this, folks. Jimmy’s Cracked Corn in Goode is a newer addition to the local farming scene with corn flour, corn meal and other products made within 24 hours of their sale on Saturday mornings. The corn is from an 1860s heirloom seed, adding a pinch of history into your next batch of muffins. Available at the Forest Farmer’s Market—check Facebook to see a vendor schedule each week.

Rainbow Chard—

Add to your salad’s visual appeal with rainbow chard from the family-owned, no-spray Archlynn Farm in Charlotte Court House. These colorful leaves make a bold statement but actually have a slightly milder taste than spinach. Archlynn Farm is open year-round in the Lynchburg Community Market.

Chickweed Tincture—

An herbal tincture is a concentrated liquid form of herbs that uses alcohol as the solvent. The benefits of chickweed are broad—from improving your skin to relieving pain—making this one of the top tinctures sold by Wild Patch Herbals. Add a drop or two to your next cup of tea for a mid-afternoon boost. Available at the Forest Farmer’s Market—check Facebook to see a vendor schedule each week.

Herb Garden Starters—

From chamomile to peppermint, the sky’s the limit for your next home herb garden. These starters from Great Day Gardens make it easy to grow delicious, fresh herbs right outside your kitchen. Available seasonally (mid-April to October) at the Lynchburg Community Market.

Free Range Eggs—

Whip up your next omelet with fresh eggs produced by free range chickens. Seeds of Faith Farm raises chickens as well as ducks on their property in Brookneal—and you’ll even find them selling emu eggs from time to time. Available at the Forest Farmer’s Market—check Facebook to see a vendor schedule each week.

Bedford-Grown Peaches and Apples—

You will taste the difference in these mountain-grown peaches and apples from Gross’ Orchard. The family-owned and –operated orchard is located at the foot of the Peaks of Otter. Find them at the Bedford Farmer’s Market or visit www.grossorchards.com to learn more.

Local Organic Pastured Pork—Hog Haven Farms is getting rave reviews for its meats, especially the bacon and sage breakfast sausage. Their products are USDA certified, USDA inspected/processed and contain no MSG or nitrates. Find them at the Bedford Farmer’s Market.

Homemade Breads, Rolls & Focaccia—

The Lynchburg-based Kay’s Culinary Creations uses wholesome ingredients to create these super yummy breads that have people lining up on Saturday mornings. Find them at the Bedford Farmer’s Market.

Wait—or is it Cold Mountain? Apparently both names are acceptable for this hike in the George Washington National Forest. (But Cole is the “official” one.)

Hikers of all skill levels are welcome on this loop that’s a part of the Appalachian Trail. You can make it a workout… or take it slow and observe nature along the way.

The best part about this hike—the Cole Mountain apex is a nod to The Sound of Music (you know, the part at the very beginning where Julie Andrews is running through the field surrounded by gorgeous mountains). After making the trip up to the top, Cole Mountain hikers reach a wide-open pasture with panoramic views on all sides. It’s the perfect backdrop for selfies, professional shoots, or even a song from your favorite musical. Once you see the view, you may be moved to do pretty much anything.

Our advice? Put this hike on your bucket list, immediately, if it isn’t already.

How to Get There:
Take Route 60 west out of Amherst. Turn right on Coffeytown Road and then another right on Wiggins Spring Road. (Note: Wiggins Spring Road is a forest service road. The drive can get bumpy.)

Where to Enter:

The parking area is at the end of the trail but you enter about .2 miles north, on the blue-blazed Hotel Trail. Follow those blue blazes to stay on track.

Take It a Step Further:

Make the hike longer by combining the Cole Mountain loop with the nearby Mount Pleasant hike on the next ridge. Together, they make an 11.3-mile circuit. Be sure to pack a backpack and plan accordingly for this longer journey.

Photos by Cody Ross:

“My wife and I have hiked Cold Mountain three times this past year and love the uniqueness of its summit. Instead of the rocky peaks you find atop other Virginia trails, when you get to the top of Cold Mountain you step into a vast pasture with 360-degree panoramic views all around you. It doesn’t feel like it belongs in Virginia. We also love Cold Mountain because if you take the short way to the top you can be there in 30 minutes, making it a great place to take friends and family who can’t handle longer treks but want to experience the amazing views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.”